As many of you may know I had my daughter Jane when I was just 28 weeks pregnant. On May 5th, 2021 I went in to my OB for a routine check up and was told my blood pressure was elevated but nothing to be worried about because it wasn't too high and no protein was detected in my urine. I was sent home with no worries.
      The Friday before Mother's Day weekend I just thought I was having a bad headache/migraine which is something I've struggled with my whole teen/adult life. I woke Saturday with a headache but then my left lower back started to hurt. With no knowledge of what preeclampsia was I just thought it was pregnancy aches. Sunday morning was Mother's Day, I felt absolutely horrible but thought I needed to push through it so that I could celebrate the day with my family. That night my husband I took pictures of my belly because I was officially 28 weeks. Monday I woke up feeling the same, migraine and back pain. I got this small relief in the middle of the day, I actually felt okay to clean our apartment but as soon as night came I began to feel my migraine and back pain come back. Tuesday morning I took off of work again and decided to head to my parents house. I could not take the pain anymore so I called my OB. They asked if anyone in the house had a blood pressure cuff I could use which my dad did. I took my blood pressure while I was still on the phone and it read 190/117. They told me I needed to rush to Oishei Childrens Hosptial. 
     As soon as I got there I was rushed to labor and delivery, this is where I was told I had severe preeclampsia and that I would be receiving a Magnesium drip. From Tuesday till Friday I was fighting for my life and Janes life. My organs were shutting down and my platelets kept dropping. I was able to get the two shots to help develope Janes lungs. They tried to keep her in for as long as they could but then Friday May 14th my platelets dropped again and they had to rush me in for an emergency c-section. 
       Jane was born May 14th, 2021 at 1:14 pm. She weighed 2.1 oz and from that point on she was fighting for her life. Jane spent 84 days in the NICU where her main struggle was her breathing. As she was in the NICU I was also diagnosed with HELLP Syndrome, to this day I am still on blood pressure medication. On August 5th Jane was able to come home with her pulse ox monitor and oxygen. She spent months after coming home strengthening her lungs, going through PT and OT. 
       Present day, Jane is our sassy and loving almost 2 year old! People comment on her size but that's all that is left from our journey. I don't believe there is enough information given to women who are pregnant about the signs and symptoms to look out for in regards to preeclampsia. There is so much that can be done to make sure that this doesn't happen to another women again.